During WWII, the Pennsylvania Railroad needed some Fast and Powerful Freight Haulers. While testing a N&W A Class and a C&O T1, The Pennsylvania Railroad took an order of 6 2-8-4 Berkshires from the Lima Locomotive Works. Numbered 2550-2555, these Berkshires were Classified as the W Class as they were a reversed version of the PRR's M Class 4-8-2 Mountains. The 6 Berkshires worked hard pulling Fast Freight trains all over the PRR System, most commonly seen rushing the Merchandise Limited over Horseshoe Curve. When the PRR finished their J1 Texas Types, The Berkshires were used less often. The PRR then sold 2552 and 2554 to the Canadian Pacific Railway and 2551 to the Santa Fe Railway. 2553 was later scrapped after being involved in an accident that destroyed the Locomotive. 2550 and 2555 were kept on the PRR until the railroad Dieselized, and both were planned to be scrapped. However, they were saved from Scrap by the PRR Preservation Society, which also purchased K4 3768. When the PRR Preservation Society fell through, 3768 was sold to the Bitterroot Valley Railroad while 2550 and 2555 were sold to the Frisco & Northern Railroad. 2550 and 2555 were thought to be the only surviving W Class Berkshires for a long time, but one day in 2001, Santa Fe 2551 was found in an old Santa Fe storage shed. After being discovered, ATSF 2551 was purchased by the Frisco & Northern and was reunited with 2550 and 2555 at the F&N workshop.
@amtrakman4014 for the original Berkshire 1 4 6 for PRR Variation 3 5 for CP Variation 2 for ATSF Variation Space for Whistle
